


Is There Life After High School?

by emmathehoe



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Gay Richie Tozier, High School, Pre-IT Chapter Two (2019), Slow Burn, Stanley Uris Has OCD - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Stanley Uris-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-15 21:28:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21024977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmathehoe/pseuds/emmathehoe
Summary: The Losers Club had been reduced to just three members: Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak, and Stanley Uris.As Stan grows more and more anxious about college applications and life in general, he decides to take it slow for a bit and, for once enjoy his summer. Meanwhile his two best friends are struggling with a conflict of their own.Class of 94' is so close to graduation, and Stanley Uris isn't going to let anything stop him.





	Is There Life After High School?

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in the summer of 93', with a focus on Stan.

It was a warm summer day in mid July, 1993. Stanley Uris had just had just turned seventeen years old, and he was exactly the same since he was 13. His hair was still the same curls, he was still very skinny, and his clothing style had shifted from stripped button ups and creme colored khakis to patterned button ups and black khakis. His OCD had gotten worse throughout the years, but he was finding more ways to cope with it. He was spending his summer writing essays for college applications and hanging out with his friends. They were the same friends he had had his entire life: Bill, Richie and Eddie. Bill was still the same proud, sad boy, but he was separating himself from the group. Stanley thought maybe he wasn't hanging out with him as much because his family was moving at the start of the school year, and he didn't want to have to just suddenly leave his best friends. Or maybe they reminded him too much of the events a few years prior. Stanley would miss his friend once he moved, but Bill had been ignoring him for months when he had tried to reconnect or get him back. Richie and Eddie had both agreed that if he wanted to, Bill would eventually come around, and if not then he's not their real friend. Which Stan could kind of agree with. He just wanted their friend group back for at least a few months before they're all separated.

His best friend, Richie, was still the little prick he'd always been. But he had matured more, and seemed to be spending much less time making fun of people and more time focusing on doing things he enjoyed. He'd started writing stand up material, worked on his impressions, and they were nearing the point of actually being good. He wasn't planning on going college, he said he was going to move to New York and get a job on SNL. Which, in Stan's mind, wasn't completely unbelievable. Richie had potential as a writer. Even though he had begun to better himself, he still had a lot of the same qualities as he did as a child. He was hyperactive, unable to focus in school, poked fun at Eddie, and loving at heart. He wore the same exact glasses as he had as a kid, but his vision was a little bit messed up because his family couldn't afford to change the prescription in the lenses. He would wear black jeans and the same, stained, messy white shirt what seemed like every day with a navy green jacket over it. Stanley had always considered Richie his best friend, and he knew he'd never be as close to someone as Richie.

The final member of the trio, Eddie Kaspbrak, had had a rough year their junior year. His mother suffered from a heart attack that past December and spent the rest of the school year in the hospital. Eddie was left living alone and fending for himself the entire year, living in constant fear of his mother dying. Bill, Richie and Stanley spent a lot of time with him at his now empty home. Eddie quickly slipped into a depression. He began to miss a lot of school, and promptly his grade slipped. Everybody was worried about him. Ever since he was a kid he had a chronic fear of getting bad grades, but he now had a lack of motivation. Stanley noticed that Richie had become infatuated with Eddie during this time, and was doing everything in his power to make things better for Eddie. And, he did make Eddie feel better in the moment. Richie would show up at his house in the middle of the night when he knew he'd had a bad day, and spend the night talking to him. Richie softened when Eddie was broken, and Stan knew that it hurt Richie to see Eddie sad. Fortunately, Eddie's mother returned home from the hospital at the beginning of June, and Eddie calmed down and began to start feeling less depressed. Eddie was seventeen years old, and was very different from how he was as a child. He was more aware of his actions and what he said to people, and he didn't seem to have a stick up his ass all the time. He was still an insane hypochondriac and it had only worsened over the years. His episodes and attacks had gotten to the point where he'd have to sit in his room for days to get over his anxiety. But, his friends were understanding and tried to reassure him when he'd have an episode. He wore his hair in the same style and moved on from bike shorts to pink shorts, and he still had his plain white tee and fanny pack. Stanley always felt bad for Eddie. Sure, his home life was bad but Eddie's home life was an absolute disaster. Eddie wasn't outwardly bothered by it, but Stan and Richie had discussed that the way he was raised is going to affect his entire life. The truth was, Stan was nervous for life after high school. He knew he wouldn't end up in the same cities as Eddie and Richie, or even Bill. He was sure they'd keep in touch, but it would never be the same. And that frightened him. He was afraid of life after high school.

What is life after high school?

-

It was 12 p.m on a Saturday, Stanley had been working on an essay all morning, and decided to take a break and check up on his friend, Eddie. He walked up the stone path to Eddie's door and rang the doorbell, patiently waiting for him to open the door. The door opened, and Stanley saw Richie standing in the doorway. He was holding a coffee, was in pajamas, his hair was messy, and his glasses were crooked.

"Yo, Stanley, come in," Richie said, and gestured for Stanley to enter the house.

Stan snorted. "So you live here now?"

"Yeah, just come in motherfucker." Richie slammed the door right after Stan stepped away from it, causing Eddie to almost jump out of his seat on the couch.

"Jesus Christ, Rich! That could've fucking broken the door, you know? My mom would murder you." Eddie slammed his book closed and scoffed.

Richie smirked. "Don't worry about her, even if I broke it I'd just give her a sweet little-"

"Fuck you Richie," Eddie said.

"Oh don't fucking say fuck you to me Eddie you-"

"No, fuck you dude. Fuck you."

"Look Eds, if you really wanted me to fuck you, you could just nicely ask."

"That's fucking disgusting and do not fucking call me Eds or I will slit your throat, fuckwad."

Stanley rolled his eyes. He decided this was going on for too long, so he butt in. "Guys, are you gonna fight for the whole time I'm here or should I just leave now?"

Eddie rolled his yes. "Literally all we do is fight. Richie fucking shows up at my house at midnight and just fucking gets into my bed like he owns the place, and somehow I'm the bitch when I complain."

"Listen up dipshit, we all know that you like when I surprise you," Richie teased.

As Eddie and Richie continued bickering, Stanley chuckled as he had a serious revelation about his best friend. "Richie, come over here for a second," Stan said and gestured for Richie to walk with him to Eddie's kitchen. Richie sighed and followed Stanley.

"I can't come?" Eddie pouted. Stanley shook his head, and Eddie rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

When they got into the kitchen, Richie softly asked, "What's up?"

"This might come across weird but are you gay?" Stanley bluntly, yet quietly asked, almost at a whisper.

Richie's face flushed. "Uh, I-I... Um... Stan that's-that's uh, I don't... W-what?" He stuttered.

"I'm just asking. You can tell me dude. I see the way you act around Eddie, especially after his mom... I mean, you guys share a bed at sleepovers." Stanley accused.

"Well Stan that's just not something- we've shared a bed before," Richie stated, looking over to make sure Eddie wasn't listening.

Stanley rolled his eyes. "Yeah, in a hotel. Richie it's fine, you don't have to tell me, I was just asking."

Richie shook his head no and softened. "Please don't tell anyone."

"Okay," Stan agreed.

"Are you guys done fucking?" Eddie said from the living room.

Richie laughed and looked at Eddie dead in the eyes. "Yeah," he walked over to Eddie. "Wasn't as good as when I did your mother. Up top Stan!"

Stan rolled his eyes and put down Richie's arm. "Are you guys free for the rest of the day? I need a break from college stuff."

"Ooh, sorry Stanny, I'm picking my mom up from the hospital soon and I don't think she'll appreciate guests right when she comes home," Eddie said.

Stanley mentally slapped himself, he had completely forgotten that Eddie's mom had been back in the hospital that week. "That's okay Eddie, I hope your mom's okay."

Eddie smiled blankly. "She'll be okay."

Stanley knew Eddie wasn't speaking truthfully, and was only lying to himself to keep up his 'happiness.' "Richie, can you hang?"

"Well, I don't want to but I will," he said slyly.

"Screw you Richie," Stan said.

Richie did a mini salute. "Whatever you say boss," he said in a stupid, Italian mobster voice.

Out of the corner of his eye, Stanley saw Eddie smiling so widely at Richie.


End file.
